Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences

National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal

Engineering Mathematics II - MA111 (2020-21)
Problem Sheet 5
Alternating Series, Absolute and Conditional Convergence

1. Using Leibniz’s Theorem, determine whether the following series are convergent or
divergent.
∞ ∞ √ ∞
X (−1)n+1 X (−1)n−3 n X 1 + 2 + 3 + ... + n
(a) (c) (e) (−1)n−1
n=1
n n=0
n+4 n=1
n3
∞ ∞ ∞
X (−1)n n2 X (−1)n−1 X n+2
(b) (d) (f)
n=1
n2 + 5 n=2
log n n=1
2n + 5

2. Which of the following series converge absolutely, which converge conditionally, and
which diverge? Give reasons for your answers.
∞ ∞ ∞
X sin n X (−1)n X (−1)n 3n2
(a) (c) (e)
n=1
n3 n=1
ln(n + 1) n=1
n3 + 1
∞ ∞ ∞
X (−1)n X (−1)n X cos(nπ)
(b) √ (d) √ (f) √
n=1
n n=1
n n2 + 1 n=1
n
∞
X ∞
X
3. Prove that if an diverges then |an | diverges.
n=1 n=1

4. Show that the positive terms of the alternating harmonic series form a divergent
series. (Similarly the negative terms form a divergent series).
∞
X ∞
X ∞
X
5. Prove or disprove: If a2n and b2n converges, then a2n b2n converges absolutely.
n=1 n=1 n=1

∞
X
6. Prove that if an is an absolutely convergent series, then the series of its positive
n=1
terms and the series of its negative term are both convergent.
∞
X
7. Prove that if an is conditionally convergent series, then the series of its positive
n=1
terms and the series of its negative term are both divergent.
∞
X ∞
X ∞
X
8. Show that if an converges absolutely, then | an | ≤ |an |.
n=1 n=1 n=1

∞
X ∞
X ∞
X
9. Show by example that an bn may diverge even if an and bn both converge.
n=1 n=1 n=1
 ∞
X 1
10. Let hn and sn be the partial sums respectively of the harmonic series and the
n=1
n
∞
X (−1)n−1
alternating harmonic series .
n=1
n
(a) Show that s2n = h2n − hn .
(b) From an exercise in Problem Sheet 2, we know that the sequence (hn − ln n) is
convergent. Let its limit be denoted by γ. So h2n − ln(2n) → γ as n → ∞.
Using these facts and part (a), deduce that the sum of the alternating harmonic
series is ln 2.
3
11. For approximately what values of x can you replace sin x by x − x3! with an error of
magnitude no greater than 5 × 10−4 ? Use Alternating Series Estimation Theorem
for getting an estimate of these values.
Answer: |x| < (6 × 10−2 )1/5

12. Use Alternating Series Estimation Theorem to estimate the number of terms of the
∞
X (−1)n
series n
you need to add so that the absolute value of the error is less than
n=1
n.5
10−4 .
Answer: 4